On Boxing Day 2015, the Stoneclough area was overwhelmed when the River Irwell overflowed following torrential rainfall, and along with other agencies, Bolton Mountain Rescue Team was heavily involved in helping rescue and check on local residents with many kind and grateful comments posted on social media about our work.

We were recently contacted by Marie Waters of Stoneclough with the wonderful news that Stoneclough Floods Fund had some money left from their fundraising and it had been decided to divide the remaining funds between the local church and our Team.

Today, therefore, we were delighted to welcome Marie to our Base to present our Chairman, Gill Leigh, with the magnificent sum of £326.70.

Our photograph shows Marie handing over the cheque, watched by other team members, with our semi rigid inflatable search and rescue boat, which featured heavily in the floods, in the background.

We are very grateful for this kind donation in appreciation of our work and – in the nicest possible way – hope that we don’t see the residents of Stoneclough (under the same circumstances) this Christmas and beyond! We hope you all have a very “uneventful” Christmas & New Year and the sun shines brightly throughout!

Final numbers 103 members of the public, at least 5 dogs, team members and approximately 40 people on horseback climbed Rivington Pike. We needed 50 people to walk from bottom barn to the Pike to climb the same height as Everest. So we managed to climb Everest twice. pic.twitter.com/vx13wRpn8E

We smashed 64 members of the public and 4 dogs have so far climbed the Rivington Pike. We needed 50 people to walk from bottom barn to climb the same height as Everest. Let’s see if we can get 100 people and climb it twice. pic.twitter.com/1FzzCRVet5

Runners and walkers are the group at most risk of accidental drowning in the UK - 77 people died in 2016 because they fell in the water whilst out for a run or a walk #BeWaterAwarepic.twitter.com/AfUVuX1WGz